Musica Compressa (2002-2003): 22 quadri per sax concertante, flauto, tromba, trombone, pianoforte, piano Fender, armonium, percussione, viola, contrabbasso e strumenti accessori. Musica Veramente Compressa! (2003): per 198 esecutori (!?) Lebedik un Freylekh (2002): pizzica tarantata in tre tempi e mezzo per sax tenore solista, flauto, tromba, chitarra elettrica, pianoforte, piano Fender, percussioni e strumenti accessori Featuring Pietro Tonolo on sopranino, soprano & tenor saxes with the Ensemble Laboratorio Novamusica: Cecilia Venrasco on flute, Umberto De Nigris on trombone, Mirko Busatto on electric guitar, Carlo Carratelli & Giovanni Mancuso on pianoforte, Fender Rhodes el. piano, harmonium & assorted stuff, Piergabriele Mancuso on viola, Andrea Carlon on contrabass and Antonio Ceravolo on percussion. This is the octet version of Mancuso's Ensemble with the great saxist, Pietro Tonolo plus an electric guitarist, Mirko Busatto added and not found on the other four discs from E.L.M. The title piece is very long and was composed in 2002-2003. It is quite an extraordinary work that consists of 22 short segments that are continuous and quick-changing. The music reminds me of a Zorn game piece that shifts quickly, yet is never too abrupt. It recalls the restless spirit of Zappa as it constantly changes and works through different combinations of instruments, often just a few at one time. Extraneous things like an alarm clock, a duck call and a whistle are used to punctuate the ever-changing flux of activity. I dig that this piece is often sparse and spacious, so that there is never too much going on at once. There appears to be no solos, yet there is a fascinating flow that holds this together. "Musica Veramente Compressa!" is a short piece that flows by quickly with kaleidoscopic layers of lines going on at once. "Lebedik un Freylekh" is a three-part piece, partially dedicated to Zappa. There is an eerie drone that runs through it, like the distant melody of wind-up jewelry box. The middle section is dedicated to Zappa and shifts quickly through complex changes but never becomes too dense. The third and final section features some charming tenor sax drifting above the somber yet constant changes below. The playful spirit of Frank Zappa hovers above this disc like a proud Mother (of Invention). - Bruce Lee Gallanter (Downtown Music Gallery)